Milford Sound

Milford Sound

Our mission today was to travel through Fiordland National Park to get to Milford Sound.  This is the world's top travel destination and is considered the 8th world wonder.  I can tell you this place is beyond beautiful.  Even the one road to Milford Sound is considered one of the finest drives in the world.  When we arrived, we hiked around some trails and then took a small cruise around the Sound.  We were surrounded by sheer rock faces covered in rainforest and waterfalls.  One of the tallest mountains in the world, Mitre Peak, rose 1,692m above us, plus the 1,517m Elephant Mountain, resembling an elephant's head, and the 1,302m Lion Mountain, in the shape of a crouching lion.  One of my favorite parts was when a dolphin came right up to the boat and swam beside us.  Our ship captain said the dolphins like to ride alongside the boat because it propels them forward so they can move without effort!  I also loved the waterfalls and rainbows they created.  We got to put on rain jackets and go right under some of them.  We ended up sailing right out to the Tasman Sea and back, and got to see a lot of seals.  I wish everyone in the world could see this place.  Well done, Earth, I am beyond amazed.

Mirror Lakes

On the way back along the same road through Fiordland, we stopped at the Mirror Lakes.  These are formed by glaciation and are so incredibly still and reflect Mount Cook and Mount Tasman.  It was a brilliant site.  Afterward we drove to Invercargill where we got fish n' chips and went to sleep.